(19)
(11) EP 2 676 623 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
02.04.2014 Bulletin 2014/14

(43) Date of publication A2:
25.12.2013 Bulletin 2013/52

(21) Application number: 13179642.7

(22) Date of filing: 13.02.2008
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
A61B 18/02(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

(30) Priority: 16.02.2007 US 675886

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
08729785.9 / 2111172

(71) Applicant: Myoscience, Inc.
Redwood City, CA 94063 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Burger, Keith
    San Rafael, California 94903 (US)
  • Elkins, Lisa
    Woodside, CA California 94062 (US)
  • Williams, Ronald
    Menlo Park, CA California 94025 (US)

(74) Representative: Clark, Jane Anne et al
Mathys & Squire LLP 120 Holborn
London EC1N 2SQ
London EC1N 2SQ (GB)

   


(54) Replaceable and/or easily removable needle systems for dermal and transdermal cryogenic remodeling


(57) The present invention generally provides improved medical devices, systems, and methods. Embodiments may be particularly well suited for the treatment of dermatological and/or cosmetic defects, and alternative embodiments may be configured for treatment of a wide range of target tissues. Some embodiments of the present invention apply cooling with at least one small, tissue-penetrating probe, the probe often comprising a needle having a size suitable for inserting through an exposed surface of the skin of a patient without leaving a visible scar. The cooling may remodel one or more target tissue so as to effect a desired change in a composition of the target tissue and/or a change in its behavior. Exemplary embodiments make use of replaceable needle probes supported by a probe body handle, with small needle probes often being replaced during treatment of a single patient. Unlike the large format cryogenic cooling systems of the past, small cryogenic cooling needle probes may dull or be damaged by insertion. Careful control over the control of cryogenic cooling fluid into a needle probe can allow the length of the active cooling to be controlled through depletion of liquid from an evaporating cryogenic cooling flow. Hence, even needles having similar external structures may provide differing lengths of an iceball along the needle axis. Surprisingly, small cryogenic cooling needles and/or other cryogenic cooling probes having a lubricious coating will allow safe removal of the probe from the treatment region while at a least a portion of the tissue remains frozen, significantly decreasing the overall time for a procedure involving many insertion/freeze/removal cycles.










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